GP-IMPACT - Pathways into Geosciences at the University of Arizona

亚利桑那大学（UA）正在开发一项新计划，以增加从两年制学院（2 YC）转学的地球科学专业的招聘，保留和专业机会。 在这个科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）领域的转学生往往比非转学生有更长的毕业时间，更低的学习成绩指标，更有限的就业前景。 两年制大学的代表性不足的少数民族（URM）学生的比例高于大多数四年制大学。UA GeoPathways项目建立在有效的学生参与，学习和保留STEM的证据基础之上，特别是在传统上代表性不足的少数民族学生中。该计划包括在皮马社区学院（PCC）的UA本科生的积极招聘，重点指导，专业发展，以及与亚利桑那州的地球科学公司，机构或非政府组织的带薪实习。 该计划支持STEM教育，增加STEM领域的多样性，让学生参与社区企业和组织，并通过提高其劳动力的学术和实践准备来推进该领域。UA GeoPathways计划正在建立一个基于社区的支持计划，支持从PCC和亚利桑那州其他2 YC转移的地球科学专业。UA地球科学系目前招收208个学士学位。专业;约40人是从PCC和其他2 YC转移。每年有10至20名2 YC学生转学到UA的地球科学专业。PCC的少数民族，退伍军人和年龄较大的学生比例高于UA。该项目利用了两个机构之间现有的教学关系，其中前两年的课程地球科学专业是亚利桑那州2 YCs和UA之间的良好衔接。此外，两名PCC教师在UA教授地球科学课程。尽管课程调整和共享教师，转学生往往在课程准备不足，不确定的UA学位要求，不确定的就业前景，并担心财政支持。转学生在获得本科学位后也不太可能有职业流动性，因为他们的家庭承诺。这些挑战正在通过为转学生建立招聘，指导和实习计划来解决。UA学生通过领导实地考察和参加PCC课堂活动来接触潜在的转学生。新转学生在UA的第一年参加两个新的专业技能研讨会：“STEM成功策略”和“研究准备”。“这些讲习班和他们的课程正在为学生在采矿业、水文和环境咨询、联邦、州和地方机构以及环境非政府组织的当地企业进行带薪实习做准备。参与GeoPathways主机匹配学生实习生后，他们在UA的第一年。320小时的实习将根据东道主和实习生的需要，在夏季以8周的全职或更长时间的兼职方式实施。每年在该项目中挑选8至10名实习生。 第一年的队列成员在计划的后期担任同行导师，并在PCC或其他2 YC上介绍他们的实习经验。新的UA战略计划，“永不定居”，要求每个本科生在学位课程期间从事专业或社区服务。这项泛UA的努力将有助于维持该计划超出其最初的NSF支持。项目的综合方法，包括指导，研讨会和实习，以支持2年到4年的大学过渡的有效性正在评估，以记录其作为2 YCs，研究型大学和当地社区潜在雇主之间的类似合作伙伴关系的模式的潜力。 据推测，UA GeoPathways的经验将提高从PCC和其他亚利桑那州2 YC转学的学生的招聘，保留，学习成绩和毕业率。该项目将更好地服务于未来的地球科学家，这些地球科学家来自四年制学术课程和劳动力中代表性不足的群体：经济上处于不利地位的学生，代表性不足的少数民族，年龄较大的学生和退伍军人。为转学生提供实践经验将有助于他们选择专业化的课程，并为他们进入研究生院做好准备。UA GeoPathways将加强UA Geosciences与当地雇主之间的联系，为所有学生创造更多机会。

The University of Arizona (UA) is developing a new program to increase the recruitment, retention and professional opportunities of geoscience majors transferring from two-year colleges (2YC). Transfer students in this science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) field tend to have longer times-to-graduation, lower metrics of academic performance, and more limited job prospects than non-transfer students. Two-year colleges have a higher proportion of underrepresented minority (URM) students than most four-year institutions. The UA GeoPathways project builds on and contributes to the evidence base for effective student engagement, learning and retention in STEM, particularly among traditionally underrepresented minority students. The program consists of active recruiting by UA undergraduates at Pima Community College (PCC), focused mentoring, professional development, and paid internship with Arizona-based, geoscience companies, agencies or non-governmental organizations. This program supports STEM education, increasing diversity in this STEM field, engaging students with community businesses and organizations, and advancing the field by improving the academic and practical preparation of its workforce.The UA GeoPathways program is establishing a community-based program of support for geoscience majors transferring from PCC and other 2YCs in Arizona. The UA Department of Geosciences currently enrolls 208 B.S. majors; about 40 are transfers from PCC and other 2YCs. Each year, between 10 and 20 2YC students transfer in to major in Geosciences at UA. PCC has a greater proportion of under-represented minorities, veterans, and older students than UA. This project leverages existing instructional relationships between the two institutions, in that the first two years of courses for the geosciences major are well-articulated between Arizona 2YCs and UA. Additionally, two PCC faculty have taught geoscience courses at UA. Despite course alignment and shared faculty, transfer students are often under-prepared in coursework, unsure of UA degree requirements, uncertain about job prospects, and concerned about financial support. Transfer students are also less likely to have occupational mobility after receiving their undergraduate degree because of their family commitments. These challenges are being addressed by establishing a recruiting, mentoring and internship program for transfer students. UA students are reaching out to prospective transfer students by leading field trips and by participating in PCC classroom activities. New transfer students are participating in two new workshops on professional skills in their first year at UA: "Success Strategies in STEM" and "Research Readiness." These workshops and their coursework are preparing students for paid internships with local businesses in the mining industry, hydrologic and environmental consulting, federal, state and local agencies and with environmental NGOs. Participating GeoPathways hosts are matched with student interns after their first year at UA. The 320-hour internships are being implemented either as 8 weeks fulltime during the summer or for part-time over a longer period, depending on the needs of the host and the intern. Between 8 and 10 interns are being selected each year of the project. Members of the first-year's cohort serve as peer mentors during later years of the program, and make presentations at PCC or other 2YCs on their internship experiences. The new UA strategic plan, "Never Settle", calls for the engagement of every undergraduate student with professional or community service during their degree program. This UA-wide effort will help sustain the program beyond its initial NSF support.Project effectiveness of the integrated approach involving mentoring, workshops and internships in support of 2-year to 4-year college transitions is being evaluated in order to document its potential as a model for similar partnerships among 2YCs, research universities, and potential employers in the local community. It is hypothesized that the UA GeoPathways experience will enhance the recruitment, retention, academic performance and graduation rates of students transferring from PCC and other Arizona 2YCs. The project will better serve prospective geoscientists from groups that are under-represented in four-year academic programs and the workforce: economically disadvantaged students, under-represented minorities, older students and military veterans. Providing hands-on experience for transfer students will assist them in selecting coursework for specialization and may prepare them for entering graduate school. UA GeoPathways will strengthen ties between UA Geosciences and local employers, creating more opportunities for all students.